All Episodes
Browse the complete archive of conversations about navigating the sandwich generation.
After the Diagnosis: Caring for a Parent with Dementia | Dr Stephanie Ward | Club Sandwich | Dr Stephanie Ward | Club Sandwich
Jul 1, 2026
The same conversation, again and again. The strange ideas. The day they don't know your face. Part two of our dementia special is about how you cope when a parent is becoming someone else — and how to look after yourself while you do. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit https://clubsandwich.community to join the conversation.SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community In this episode:The Conversation: Part two of our two-part dementia special. Geriatrician and regular Clubber Dr Stephanie Ward joins Sarah Macdonald for the harder half — how you cope when a parent is slipping into advanced dementia. The repeated questions, the strange and frightening ideas, therapeutic fibbing, aggression and your own safety, the grief of not being recognised, and why a held hand still counts even when they forget the visit. This Week's Hack: Therapeutic fibbing. When a parent with dementia asks for someone who has died, the truth only makes them grieve afresh — and they will ask again minutes later. Meet the feeling, not the fact: comfort, reassurance, a held hand. "They're okay. They'll be here later." Send this to: anyone caring for a parent with advancing dementia, or the sibling who can't quite face visiting. A moment that stays: "They may not remember what made them feel good, but they can have a memory of feeling good." Your visit counts, even if they forget it. Meet the regular Clubbers:Melissa Reader — CEO of Vera and expert on Australia's ageing crisis.Jo Lamble — Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics.Dr Ginni Mansberg — GP and women's health advocate.Dr Stephanie Ward — Geriatrician helping you understand the ageing brain.Kerry Milligan — Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty. Content note: this episode discusses advanced dementia, carer grief, changed and aggressive behaviour, and end-of-life themes. Be gentle with yourself while you listen, and come back to it another time if today isn't the day. For information and support, Dementia Australia's National Dementia Helpline is on 1800 100 500 (dementia.org.au). For support as a carer — Carer Gateway 1800 422 737 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm). Find Put The Kettle On – Vera's free guide to the five questions worth asking your mum or dad – at https://putthekettleon.com.au This episode was supported by Australian Unity Home Health and Care. Visit https://australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich. This episode was supported by NSW Trustee and Guardian — wills, power of attorney and enduring guardianship, sorted properly, so the people you love aren't left guessing. Search NSW Trustee and Guardian, or call 1300 10 20 30.Vera is your candid companion as you care for an ageing parent. Have a look at https://vera.guide.Credits:Sarah Macdonald – Host + Executive ProducerMelissa Reader – Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + ClubberJustin McArthur – Executive Producer + Editor for P. Zinner Podcasts (https://pzinner.com.au)Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our theme music Club Sandwich — hear more at https://seanwayland.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Human Forever | The man who moved into a dementia ward, with Teun Toebes | Club Sandwich
Jun 10, 2026
Dementia is the leading cause of death in Australia, and a lot of what we believe about it is making things worse. This week, meet the man who moved in. Ageing parents? You've got them. We've got you. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit https://clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community.SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community In this episode:Our youngest guest yet. At 21, Dutch nurse Teun Toebes moved into the locked dementia ward of a nursing home and stayed three and a half years. Sarah Macdonald sits down with him on his first day in Australia to talk about what living alongside 130 housemates with dementia taught him: that the hardest part of the diagnosis is often not the disease, it's the way the world treats you once you have it. We don't lack beds or money, he says. We lack humanity. This Week's Hack: Take them out, and keep showing up. Your parent may not remember the visit, but they remember the feeling. So do the drive, the cup of tea, the trip to the shops, even when it feels pointless. And when you don't know what to say or do, be okay with not knowing. Caring for someone with dementia is a shared job, not a solo one. Send this to: Send this to your sibling, or to anyone who has stopped visiting because "they won't remember anyway." This is the episode that gently puts that one to bed. A moment that stays: Teun takes his housemate Ellie to her son Marcel's house. She walks in, bursts into tears, and says, "Now I finally know where my son lives." She couldn't have told you the address. But she felt it. Meet the regular Clubbers:Melissa Reader — CEO of Vera and expert on Australia's ageing crisis.Jo Lamble — Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics.Dr Ginni Mansberg — GP and women's health advocate who tells it straight.Dr Stephanie Ward — Geriatrician helping you understand when "old" becomes a crisis.Kerry Milligan — Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation. Topics covered in this episode:- Why a 21-year-old nurse moved into a locked dementia ward, and what three and a half years taught him- The "code of freedom": being the only resident who can open the door- Why the stigma hurts more than the disease- Identities change with dementia, but they are not lost- The language problem: "brain gymnastics," "the restaurant of mistaken orders"- How to be with a parent who has dementia, even when you don't know how- Guilt, and why caring for someone with dementia is a shared responsibility- "They remember the feeling, not the visit"- Opening the locked doors: how 500+ Dutch care homes did it- Over-medicalisation: thickener, walkers, hip airbags and protein drinks by default- Quality of care vs quality of life- "Use it or lose it": real knives, real plants, real dogs, real campfires- Why one nursing home spent 10,000 euros a year on plastic plants- The hospital-bed problem and the cost of standardising care- Dementia as Australia's leading cause of death, and why that framing can backfire Mentioned in this episode: Human Forever — Teun Toebes and Jonathan de Jong's award-winning documentary, touring Australia. Tour dates: 11 JUNE – MELBOURNE, 12 JUNE – BANGALOW, 13 JUNE – BRISBANE. To find out more, visit https://human-forever.com/join-the-movement/ The Housemates — Teun's bestselling book about life on the ward. Teun's new book with Jonathan de Jong — out September 2026. Credits:Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you don't have to do it alone. This episode was supported by Australian Unity Home Health and Care. Visit https://australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich.This episode was supported by NSW Trustee and Guardian — wills, power of attorney and enduring guardianship, sorted properly, so the people you love aren't left guessing. Search NSW Trustee and Guardian, or call 1300 10 20 30.Vera is your candid companion as you care for an ageing parent. Have a look at https://vera.guide. Sarah Macdonald — Host + Executive ProducerMelissa Reader — Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + ClubberJustin McArthur – Executive Producer.Audio + video edits by P. Zinner Podcasts (https://pzinner.com.au)Thanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our theme music Club Sandwich — hear more at https://seanwayland.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Inside the geriatric ward with Matt Preston | Club Sandwich
Apr 8, 2026
Worried about an ageing parent ending up in hospital? Caring from another city or another country? In this episode, Sarah Macdonald and Matt Preston talk about dementia, sibling guilt, hospital overwhelm, aged care delays, and why the smartest move is to plan earlier than feels necessary. Matt also reflects on the personal experience behind his current TV work on dementia: supporting his mum through the disease before she passed away.Ageing parents? You’ve got them. We’ve got you. JOIN THE CLUB: Visit clubsandwich.community to join the tribe, access resources, and find our private Facebook community.SEND US YOUR QUESTION: hello@clubsandwich.community The Conversation: Sarah Macdonald and Matt Preston unpack what families need to know about geriatric wards, dementia, long-distance caring, and the emotional and practical load of caring for ageing parents. They also connect Matt’s current TV work on dementia with his own experience of supporting his mum through dementia before she passed away.This Week’s Hack: Start the conversation before it is urgent. Ask about wishes early, get assessments underway early, and do not wait for a fall or hospital stay to force decisions.Listener Letter: This episode speaks directly to the clubber juggling kids, work and ageing parents, especially if you are carrying the emotional load from a distance or trying to get siblings on the same page. Melissa Reader - CEO of Vera and expert on Australia’s ageing crisis.Jo Lamble - Clinical psychologist specialising in guilt and family dynamics.Dr Ginni Mansberg - GP and women’s health advocate who tells it straight.Dr Stephanie Ward - Geriatrician helping you understand when old becomes a crisis.Kerry Milligan - Gogglebox star bringing humour and honesty to the sandwich generation. Topics covered in this episode: dementia is more than memory loss- what geriatric wards are really like- why older people are safer at home when possible- bed block, aged care waits and hospital stress- long-distance caring and fly-in guilt- sibling conflict and how not to make it worse- advanced care wishes and hard conversations- how to keep connection with a parent living with dementia- why women still carry most of the caring load- Matt Preston on ageing, fear and making the most of the years ahead This episode was supported by Australian Unity, home health and care services. Proactive local care that helps your parents live well at home, less stress for them, less worry for you, and more time for the good stuff. Visit australianunity.com.au/clubsandwich.Need more clarity at 3 AM? Vera gives you a structured 15-minute voice conversation to help you understand where your parent stands and what to do next. Find it in the show notes or at vera.guide. Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera, helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you do not have to do it alone.Sarah Macdonald - Host + Executive ProducerMelissa Reader - Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer + ClubberRachel Fountain - Executive ProducerAudio + video edits by Fountain Media GroupThanks and kudos to Sean Wayland for our awesome theme music Club Sandwich - hear more from Sean at seanwayland.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Archives
Agehood
Before Club Sandwich, there was Agehood. Explore episodes from our predecessor podcast on caring for ageing parents.
